Loughrigg Winter Walk

Distance: 10 miles
Ascent: 550m
Weather: chill
Kestrel, buzzards, crows, crows pretending to be buzzards, ducks and swans,  unidentified trilling/warbling bird.

After a restless night's sleep in a baking hot hotel room, and a gupping big breakfast,  we set off for a walk into Ambleside and back.

We went over Loughrigg Fell,  which was icy and snowy at the top (spikes were donned) and down the bridleway down past the non-existent golf course to Miller Fold. Reaching the road,  we narrowly escaped being mown down by some very speedy cyclists.

We went through Rothay Park into Ambleside and got some lunch, had a look around a couple of shops and had a (cold) picnic in the park.

We returned alongside the top path around Rydal Water and Grasmere.

 

Undermillbeck Common

Distance: 7.5 miles
Ascent: 500m
Weather: cloudy,  cold wind

Met: friendly blue faced Leicester sheep, a very friendly robin and a (quite shy) deer.
Saw: buzzards, colourful sheep.
Feet: bit wet

Today's walk was almost the reverse of our Christmas Eve walk, without the trip out to the ferry landing.

We went along the Dales Way as far as Hag End and Outrun Nook before turning off over to Gilpin and the green lane around the common.

It was quite windy today and a little cold, so we didn't stop for lunch - just had an apple and a biscuit.

We followed the footpath to Lindeth Lane (not getting sidetracked by the little hill this time)  and then back over Brant Fell where, for possibly the first time ever, we followed the route of the cairns.

New Year's Day Bimble

We Distance: 4.6 miles
Ascent: 300m
Weather: heavy rain

It was nice weather for ducks today. The swans looked fairly content too. Everything else, not so much. 

Today's walk was almost a repeat of our Christmas Day walk - minus Brant Fell. We followed the Dales Way to School Knott and then returned to Bowness via High Lickthwaite and Helm Farm.